Knurled surfaces on the outer barrel prevent the tire from slipping on the wheel during extreme off-roading and especially when running low pressures. ALPHAequipt wheels have a rugged style but they are designed with function over form, and are intended to be pushed to the limits.
ALPHAequipt wheels are low-pressure cast with A356 grade aluminum. Often used as a substitute for 6061 aluminum, A356 is a casting alloy that is made up of 7% Silicon, 0.3% Magnesium, 0.2% Iron, and 0.10% Zinc. It is commonly used for aircraft parts, pump housings, impellers, and structures where high strength are required.
When it comes to choosing an On-/Off-Road All-Terrain tire, we have been a big fan of the General Tire Grabber A/TX for a few years now and have used them on many Jeeps and trucks. The A/TX takes features from their mud-terrain X3 to provide even more off-road durability and capability without sacrificing the excellent road-manners, handling characteristics, and quiet ride that General’s all-terrain tires are famous for.
The Grabber A/TX was designed to provide trucks, work vans, and SUVs with on-road civility over tens of thousands of miles as well as grip and rugged durability in virtually any conditions from dirt, to rain, gravel, rocks, and snow. For our Explorer ST, this combination of asphalt performance and off-road and snow capability makes the A/TX a perfect solution for our intended use.
The Grabber A/TX features a cut-and-chip-resistant compound and a deep, all-terrain tread pattern with multi-angle tread blocks to help aid traction in loose terrain, while traction notches and sipes create additional biting edges for grip in dirt, wet conditions and snow. This helps the A/TX earn its 3PMSF rating. Additionally, the A/TX tire is designed with holes at varying points throughout the tread that accept studs to further improve the ice and packed snow performance.
General Tire uses an absorption layer under the tread, along with an acoustic tread pattern in what they call “Comfort Balance Technology” that is a huge part of what makes the A/TX so quiet and rides so well. The tread width is quite wide and the tread pattern is optimized for stiffness which reduces tread squirm and improves handling as well as tire longevity.
3 comments
FYI – the 60,000 mile does not apply to LT tires. The quoted load limit over stock require 80psi. Twelve additional pounds per tire over stock leads me to believe your MPG math might need some work.
Calculating MPG isn’t difficult (Miles driven / gallons used), and after many road trips the result is the same – a negligible difference in MPG with this off-road tire setup, which surprised us. Tire weight does not affect MPG much under steady-state driving on the highway. Rolling resistance is the primary factor when it comes to affecting gas mileage and nearly half is caused by the tire tread and construction and aerodynamic drag also plays a significant role. Thus, the width and tread do not create much more drag than the OEM setup.
Is ALPHAequipt still in business ? I’m ordering a 2025 ST and their website is offline as in really offline